The gallery which I have visited is located in the bustle of the small city and the inconspicuous appearance has made me pass through the building many times. Once I stepped into the entrance, the noise of the city retired and quietness surrounded me. It was good gap to make me feel that I am going to another world and a flight of stairs raised my expectation.

The facade of the gallery

The entrance

Nowadays cinematic editing and special effects can be created by single individual and it is no matter that they are professional or not.

Jill Kennedy’s work is good example which has demonstrated as a contemporary art or as a film. She has been showing her work widely at galleries in New Zealand and overseas and she has also presented her work to Edinburgh International Film Festival and The Worldwide Short Film Festival in Toronto. She produced her first film called ‘Neuro-Economy’ which was her school project in 2006. This exhibition ‘One Minute Enlightenment’ is a continuance of the her first film and is composed of three short films of ‘New Educational Series’ and ‘One Minute Enlightenment’.

Neuro-Economy 2006

According to Hurrell, the title ‘New Educational Series’ can mean the source material where she found her images, or it could imply political, historical, or social readings from the narratives of her works. He also says that Jill Kennedy is sort of suggestive, surrealist abstractionist- despite her interest in narrative.

Display in the gallery

As regards her own work, Kennedy says that she is hoping to catch something of a “shared past” using found sources. The pastel colour or slightly faded colour sources yet used came from a forgotten, discarded educational book from 1960s-1970s. She is constantly collecting source material and it is an experimental process for her. She is still interested in a lot of old encyclopaedic texts and images like she is using, and a lot of educational and learning equipment such as a telescope.

“Suburban Creepiness” is another her theme where we can see that idea in ‘Better Military Modelling’ and ‘At Home With The Ants’.

New Educational Series- Better Military Modelling 2008

New Educational Series- At Home With The Ants 2009

Now, why her movie is talking to us, even though she uses two dimensional scissors- and- tape analogue figures? I think one of that reasons is the music engineered by John Payne. His sound which is sometimes staccato, sometimes hypnotic takes us to anywhere Kennedy creates. In ‘Canaries In Colour’, his sounds emphases Kennedy’s visual world and takes us to the universe with kaleidoscope-like mandalas. I personally felt this scene has subliminal effect.

New Educational Series- Canaries In Colour 2007

In terms of ‘One Minute Enlightenment’, she combines real cat’s eyes with two dimensional animated papers. It reminded me the first film ‘Neuro-Economy’ which is also mixed real tape recording with animation and explored the neuroses of a society dominated by technology with an intriguing, experimental animation.

One Minute Enlightenment 2010

Jill Kennedy was born in 1981 in Glasgow, Scotland and moved with her family to New Zealand in 1982. She graduated with Bachelor of Design (Painting) in 2002 and received a Graduate Diploma of Design (Digital animation) in 2006. I believe that her work is quite solid, although she might be a sort of brand new artist, and I think John Payne’s words support my thought. “I realised pretty early on that her works is really a continuation of her painting. It is just changing the practice.”

11/07/2010

It may sound odd but I always think that I do not want to act in a sort of Japanese way. It can be a way of a stereotype, a usage that has not changed in 50 or 100years, or a different way from foreigner does.

Honestly, I do not know how everyone takes Japan, and there is no doubt that the nation has kept a closed idea - for instance, some people subordinate individuals to where they come from or graduated from. Therefore now I feel that I have lost something tiny, although I have not lost anything at all in fact.

Strangely enough, I love traditional things of my country, despite the denial of the traditional or cultural attitude. Actually, this does not matter whether things from my home country or not. I adore anything antique because of time, place and culture in which things have spent. A place where an object was created might not exist anymore now... Once I imagine such a world, I can give myself an illusion of that I would be in the world where an antique come from. Finding rich information is significant to think about this naturally. So I really enjoyed researching history of jewellery this time. I think that one of the fascination of antiques is that time makes them beautiful. It means that we cannot make antiques.

However, Octavia Cook perfectly combines meaning of early jewellery which is remembrance and commemoration everlastingly, idea of modern material, and her personal importance. Particularly, the fact of that forms of silhouette and cameo celebrate individual existence stimulates me. Also launching the fabricated company ‘Cook & Co.’ appropriating the name of one of the world’s largest jewellery houses reminds me having a fan in imagination world.

Her sense of humour encourages me and the usage of Victorian way by her recalls that all the time my mind is occupied by Japanese tradition or culture. Especially- and it is too personal-, the strongest thing occupying my brain is that I am under an obligation to adapt new rules or custom and to change my surname and family crest by marriage. Everything that I have to change was part of my identity. This is not only feeling that I have lost something but also I feel that I am insignificant person.

Again, here is a contradictory idea that I cannot afford to be bound by customs of the nation or individual. I believe that everyone has got their own capacity and story therefore, I would like to celebrate and verify Cook’s conception with my way. ‘I might be a person of importance’ come from here and it is a daydream for future but at the same time, it shows conflict with the reality.

10/25/2010

Today, we can see many different kinds of contemporary art works related to memory or memento mori such as architecture, jewellery, paintings, sculpture, and ceramics. This is a completed image of freedom tower which will be built on the site of World trade centre.

A image of freedom tower/ David C. Childs

Looking at the past, in the 15th century, inscriptions reminded of the approach of death and the need to prepare for it. The subject of memento mori was to remain vivid and popular for the next three hundred years and custom of wearing memorial and mourning rings did not out until the early 20th century.

A cameo ring;

from a book '"Rings- symbols of Welth, Power and Affection" by Diana Scarisbrick in 1993 '

A figure of dog was used as a symbol of fidelity and hair and a cipher of a deceased worked in gold thread appeared as an individualised memorial ring in the second half of 17th century. By 1878, commemorative rings often contained photographs rather than hand-made images like cameo or silhouette.

A memorial photo ring

From a book '"Rings- symbols of Welth, Power and Affection" by Diana Scarisbrick in 1993 '

Whereas in Japan, memento trees were often found yet, in the past, there were no special belongings such as a commemorative ring and a locket. However, people often inherited Kimono, Japanese traditional garment, as a remembrance.

A photograph taken in Late Edo era (1603-1867)

Kimono for an everyday use are generally made of cotton, wool, or hemp, but in formal occasion, people have to choose silk Kimono with skilled art works (and sometimes family crest.)

Kimono textile hand painted by a craftsperson

Even now some people are taking over Kimono from their family but, there are rare occasion to wear them nowadays. Therefore, some people who launch into a Kimono remake business appeared.

A scarf remade of Kimono textile

Returning to the subject of cameo and silhouette forms, we can still find many art works using cameo or silhouette ideas in contemporary art today.

"The House of Words"/ The exhibition is part of this year's calebration of the tercentenary of Johnson's bith/ 2009

For instance in 2009, C J O’Neil has produced a series of second-hand cut transfers, featuring silhouettes of volunteers from the charity against a de Morgan-esque background.

Now, I would like to focus onto Octavia Cook’s work. Because in her jewels cameo coexists with silhouette with not fill details. The family jewels consisted of cameo portraits of her family and herself set in brooches and rings, refer the Victorian traditional of immortalising.

Playfully rendered large-scale in brightly coloured acrylics, sentimental symbolism is eschewed by her selection of benign subjects including herself, her family, even her cats. Her choice of media catches us off guard too.

Getting married and inspirational trip to Japan in 2008, she created “Madam Kokku Kaisha” which is Japanese version of her and means “Cook & Co.” in Japanese. She is wearing Kimono and doing the traditional hair-style of an Edo era married woman.

She is also using obvious gold pigment glue which is a Japanese traditional way made of Japanese lacquer to show a need for change on her return and restoration. The interesting thing what I found is Octavia Cook used Kimono form which has been handed down as a remembrance or a heirloom like European jewellery. This is another reason why I have chosen her works. Now, I will work to celebrate her art work considering traditional commemorative style in both Europe and Japan.

10/12/2010

PEZ is the brand name of an Austrian confectionery invested by Edward Haas in 1927 and now it is known as the mechanical pocket dispensers for the same. The confectionery itself shapes up pressed, dry, straight-edged, blocks, with PEZ dispensers holding 12 PEZ pieces. How has PEZ come to be such a popular candies or toys worldwide?

PEZ tins,1930's

PEZ was originally introduced packed in tins in Vienna, Austria and marketed as an adult mint for people trying to quit smoking. The word PEZ is an abbreviation of the German word for peppermint (PfeffErminZ). The tin packages were seen between 1927 and 1950.

Regulars, 1945 by Oscar Uxa PEZ publicity, 1950's magazine Ad.

World War 2 slowed marketing and production. In 1945, Oscar Uxa invented the first PEZ dispensers, known to collectors as “regulars”, being similar in shape to a cigarette lighter, did not have a character head. Of course, PEZ was marketed for adult.

Motorcycle and Rider Plastic novelty, 1940's-1950's

Before the World War 2, penny candy (candy cost one or two pennies at the time) trade was always at the edge of the candy business. By 1952, the idea of children’s market had begun to inspire amazing innovations in promotion and sales such as cardboard coins, small Western toys, spelling games in the late 1940s.

Pieces of PEZ confectionery

In 1952, Edward Haas introduced his product to the United States, and Curtis Allina headed PEZ’s U.S. business. By reason of this PEZ's export, notably to the U.S., the candies and the dispensers have become available worldwide and over 3billion confectionery bricks are consumed each year in the U.S. alone today.

Bunny Candy Container, 1950's

A precursor to PEZ might be the “Click Bird”, a small bird with a long neck and movable head filled with candy, and unfortunately I could not find the image. Furthermore, candy filled toys were common and popular in the mid 1950s. The PEZ dispensers were part of a wave of innovation in children’s candy packaging.

Popeye 'A', 1958

In 1955, the PEZ company placed heads on the dispensers and marketed them for children therefore cartoon heads and fruity flavoured candy were introduced. The first licensed character was the sailor cartoon character Popeye, who headed a PEZ dispenser in 1958. Later, the company contracted with Disney to license its popular movie characters for PEZ dispenser heads and came up with succession of original designs as well.

Europian PEZ Vending machine

The company also prepared another way of catching people’s eyes. The vending machines were used in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The German machines were introduced around 1954. When the piece for 3vend was increased to 3coins, extra space for the bigger cash box had to be filled below the chute PEZ-girls had fallen out of favour, it shows “PEZ the sweet joy”.

Left; Astronaut 'A', 1962 Middle and Right; Astronaut 'B', 1977

These are great examples of that original PEZ dispensers reflect the big world event in that period. The two on the right are known as Astronaut B and the left one is Astronaut A. The ‘A’ is from the 1960s, and the ‘B’ is from the 1970s.

Donald Duck, 1960's ( Left; Old/ Right; New)

We can see enormous differences between them now. Not only that graphic package designs but the number of candies! It was cut down on the half of the previous amount.

Pez Space Gun and Premium folder, 1956

There has not been only one style of PEZ dispensers. The other dispenser, PEZ space gun had a problem that they presented a choking hazard. So when the PEZ company came out with their first in the 1950’s, they discontinued the produce.

Pez Shooter, 1970's

However, another space gun was come out in the 1970’s. Then again, that presented a choking issue.

Red Pez Space Gun, 1982

Moreover, they came out with another to go along with the excitement created by the Star Wars movie in the 1980’s and that got discontinued, again. So apparently, they risked the possibility that consumers would complain but they believed that the space guns would be loved, and would give a lot of fun.

PEZ appeared on a screen from time to time around 1980’s. In 1982, PEZ showed up on the movie ‘ET. The Extraterrestrial’ and it was on the ‘Stand By Me’ in 1986. On the film, Stand By Me setting in 1959, there are famous lines.

“If I could only have one food to eat for the rest of my life? That’s easy. PEZ. Cherry flavour PEZ. No question about it.”

Comparison of No Foot, Thin Feet, and Thick Feet

‘Feet’ for PEZ dispensers are created after 1987 in order to stand up themselves firmly. This indicates that PEZ dispensers weighted with the PEZ company. For PEZ collectors, ‘Feet’ is one of the benchmark of judgment indicating how old a dispenser is.

1990's Supermarket Sales Brochure

By the mid-1990s, collecting old PEZ dispensers had become a noticeable nationwide mania. By 1996, PEZ collectors held several conventions, each drawing hundreds of people. Rare dispensers were sold for hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars.

Soft head Mickey Mouse, 1979

The highest verifiable sale of PEZ dispenser was a private sale of a Mickey Mouse soft head at $7000 between an Austrian dealer and a California collector. This dispenser was never available for sale to the public and was a factory prototype.

Peppermint Regulars, 1995

Tom with Cavalry Body parts, 1990

Mid 1990’s peppermint flavoured PEZ candies were reintroduced along with remake of ‘regulars’ and moreover, ‘Body parts’ for a PEZ dispenser’s character were produced in1990. These shows collecting PEZ dispensers has become more popular.

Fuzzy Friends- Cat and Dog Series-, 2000

According to the Collector’s Corner of the PEZ Candy website, Fuzzy Friends were the first plush PEZ released in 2000. The Bear and the Cats and Dogs Series are full sized PEZ dispensers covered in fuzzy fabric. They have clips to attach to a purse, backpack, or belt loop. This seemed to be another strategy to catch children’s attention not only enthusiasts.

PEZ Girls Mini Mints, 2006, Europe

In 2006, new President Mr. Joe Vittoria took over the company and many changes happened. New for 2006 in Europe is a different Pez candy product called ‘mini mints’. The containers featured Andy Warhol art work and then, two different types of containers were created, one gave a picture of Elvis Presley, the other depicted PEZ girls.

Norman Rockwell Mini mints (orange), 2007, the USA

In 2007, the new Americana Series of mini mints released in the USA featured 6different pieces of art from Norman Rockwell. The mints are come in Mint flavour and Orange flavour and are sugar free.

KISS Fantasy PEZ

Elvis Presley's life, 2007

These days, as PEZ has becoming popular, it is getting tougher and tougher to determine and identify which dispensers are “Rare”, “One of a kind”, “Fantasy/ Custom”, “Special issue”, “Test/ Prototype”, or plain “Fake”.

Orange Country Chopper Gift Set, 2006

Teutul family from Orange Country Choppers are first dispensers to have been made in the actual likeness of living people, except for the three historical figures created for the Bicentennial anniversary in the 1970’s. Therefore, now we know how many PEZ dispensers are not official products from the PEZ company.

'Cyborg' fantasy dispenser from Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia

“Fantasy” dispensers are made for display and are not made, endorsed or sponsored by PEZ Candy, Inc. or any of its licenses.

There were a number of PEZ being sold in eBay from Hong Kong that have been shown to be fake. These include One Eye Monsters, Mimic the Monkey, Indian Chiefs, and Ponies. The Hong Kong sellers may not be active now, but their fakes were purchased , often by uninformed buyers.

PEZ, PEZ, PEZ...

Since the PEZ company produced dispensers with cartoon heads in 1955, over 500 different dispensers, including the original character dispensers, have been made. Although the PEZ company meets some problems in growing itself, they have led a part of pop culture in many nations. PEZ is not only running before the world trend but also reminiscent of our childhood.

09/21/2010

Functionalism is rooted in mid-nineteenth century England and its concept is that objects made to be used and should be simple and direct.

Walter Gropius, who is a architect and strictly followed this notion founded Bauhaus, the German school of design in 1919.According to Marcus, Gropius said that “An object is defined by its nature. ...for it must serve its purpose perfectly, that is, it must fulfil its function usefully, be durable, economical, and ‘beautiful.’ ”(“Functionalist Design” 14).His vision of bringing unity to the arts through architecture was based on the Arts and Crafts Movement and, not on the machine.

Consequently, he gave notice to his constituency of artists to return to the crafts and also let Bauhaus students gain practical training by learning a trade in the school’s workshop. Their products were prime examples of functionalist modernism.

Marianne Brandt (fig.1), the only woman member of the Bauhaus metal workshop is one of them.When she began to study at Bauhaus at the beginning of 1924, Gropius introduced a new theory which is that “art and technology, a new unity” for the school.This aesthetic change strongly influenced Brandt’s own work.

Her two different styles of tea infusers created in 1924 are remarkable instances. At a single glance, the two versions of the teapot in a geometric form seem almost identical.However, one made of silver with clearly handcrafted surface in repeated marks of the hammer. (fig.2).

Marcus states that it shows the arduous process of its creation and all the signs of Brandt’s hand ‘most patiently hammer out of brittle new silver’ reflecting the initial Bauhaus handicraft approach that she was originally introduced to during her apprenticeship.(“Masters of modern design” 83).The second made of brass taking the same shape, but its surface is smooth and reflective with a highly finished face.(fig.3).It implies that it could have been created by machine.This skilled perfection was proven that all evidence of its hand manufacture was masked by the journalist who described the brass tea infuser as machine made. She made them using geometric shape which Bauhaus emphasise to search for universal and unchanging solutions to the creation of artistic forms through a reliance on platonic solids.(“Masters of modern design” 80).Yet, the works are idiosyncrasy being composed semicircular handles of metal and ebony with apparent rivets, cylindrical knobs, and crossed bases.This unification was created after she became integrated into the metal workshop.

Looking at another her work which is the collage ‘Me, sheet from portfolio 9 Years of Bauhaus’ created in 1928, it also shows how immersed she was in the school’s message.(fig.4).

She is reclining on a stack of her aluminium light reflector at the left of the collage. Her mentor Moholy-Nagy standing behind her, her male friends who did not welcome her at first, and Bauhaus building complete this Brandt’s autobiographical image.As these works indicate, Brandt has brought to fruition of Bauhaus or Gropius’s vision of productive collaboration of art and industry. (“Masters of modern design "89).

Furthermore, although she was talented and successful artist and also her works are icons of 'Bauhaus' design, she never established herself as a self-employed industrial designer. (Art Directory).

Lastly, Brandt was not only a woman who was accepted as a first female member of metal workshop at Bauhaus but also an avantgarde artist who led the unity of technology and crafts.

Bibliography:

Marcus, George H. Masters of modern design, a critical assessment. New York: The Monacelli Press, 2005. Print.

09/16/2010

I have picked up this Japanese ceramic artist, Yo Akiyama whose works have been introduced as sculptural abstraction of post modernism. His work is profound in its size, conception and forms, all created with the theme of disintegration in nature and how life returns to clay.

This is one of his works titled "Oscillation" (h; 95.9cm l; 6.32m d; 1.08m) created in 1995. According to Akiyama, in each crack are subtle differences in character, when these personalities gather and interact with one another, the result is a body that "oscillates". Oscillation is the essence of energy.

When the work was created in 1995, many tragic occurrences and historical progress happened int the world. This anarchy seems to be representative of post modern notion.

Meanwhile in Japan, the sarin gas attack in Tokyo subway killed 13 people, injured 50, and sickened 6300 people by the cult group. It was the most serious attack occured in Japan since the end of WW2.

Two months before the domestic terrorism, one of the biggest earthquake hit the middle pat of Japan. Around 6500 were killed and over 40000 were injured. This was the Japan's worst earthquake since the Kanto earthquake which claimed 140000 lives in 1923.

As you can see, Japan situates on several boundaries of different 4 plates. No matter how serious it is, an occurrence of earthquake is reported every day somewhere in Japan.

As well as earthquakes, eruptions are also fearful natural disaster in japan. In 1991, Mt, Unzen-fugen erupted and the activity had continued until 1995. These earthquake and eruption are associated with the word, "oscillation" and "energy".

Looking at Japanese art scene, American art and architecture influenced Japan after the end of WW2. These TBWA Chiat Day were built by Frank Owen Gehry and Claes oldenburg in Los Angeles, 1991 after Akiyama started working with clay.

In the 1950's and 1960's when Akiyama grew up, Japan's artistic avant-garde originated the internationally influential "Gutai group" which included various post war genres such as performance art, conceptual art, and wearable art. This work was created by Shozo Shimamoto who is one of the primary Gutai member (Untitled, mixed media on board, 1961).

Shimamoto is still working as a avant-garde artist and mainly doing performing art now. In 2006, he dropped colours from a crane on a 10 x 10m canvas. On this occasion, the avant-garde pianist, Charlemagne Palestine, did a great concert accompanying Shimamoto's movement with misic.

Shimamoto and akiyama are lecturers of an university on Kyoto, Japan. In the past, Kyoto used to be the centre of politics and culture and now, Kyoto has been one of the centre of innovative art and movement since "Sodeisha group" formed in 1948.

Before WW2, ceramic art was all practical. However, a dissatisfaction was rampant among many of the young artistic communities and "Sodeisha" created the first ceramic object art in Kyoto.

Member of Sodeisha were interested in renovation, provocation, and challenging themselves. It is not clear that Akiyama was a member of Sodeisha, but he was involved Sodeisha exhibition in 1976. This (A distant horse, 1977) was made by Osamu Suzuki who is a primary member of Sodeisha.

Akiyama uses Kokuto for his work. In the Neolithic Age, Kokuto appeared in china and now, it can be seen in some parts of Southeast Asia, South America, and Africa. This is the way that clay will be adhered with carbon particles of soot by heating at lower temperature and no glaze.

Before putting works into a kiln, he fractures the surface of one of his pieces by applying a pair pf blow torches to clay. This means finding the clay's true voice or natural characteristic and letting it come to the surface.